Beech-Nut to stop making rice baby cereal over arsenic concerns
WASHINGTON - A company whose name is synonymous with baby food has announced a recall and will stop making one of its products because of higher-than-permitted arsenic levels.
Beech-Nut Nutrition is recalling one lot of Beech-Nut Stage 1, Single Grain Rice Cereal after a routine sampling program by the State of Alaska found that samples that tested above the guidance level for naturally occurring inorganic arsenic set by the Food and Drug Administration. Beech-Nut says the rice flour used in the product had been tested and confirmed as being below the FDA guidance level for inorganic arsenic.
According to a news release from the company, the FDA has recognized that trace elements such as arsenic are widely present in the environment, including water, soil, and food. However, exposure to elevated levels of inorganic arsenic can pose a health hazard to young children.
The FDA says inorganic arsenic exposure in the very young is associated with impaired intellectual development, such as decreased performance on certain developmental tests that measure learning
The specific Beech-Nut Single Grain Rice item (UPC Code# 52200034705) being recalled has an expiration date of 01MAY2022 and product codes: 103470XXXX and 093470XXXX. The expiration date and product numbers can be found at the bottom of the Beech-Nut Single Rice Cereal canister. These specific product codes were distributed nationally through retail and online.
Beech-Nut also announced it will exit the market for Beech-Nut branded Single Grain Rice Cereal.
The company says in its statement that it is concerned about the ability to consistently obtain rice flour well-below the FDA guidance level and Beech-Nut specifications for naturally occurring inorganic arsenic.
"The safety of infants and children is Beech-Nut's top priority. We are issuing this voluntary recall, because we learned through routine sampling by the State of Alaska that a limited quantity of Beech-Nut Single Grain Rice Cereal products had levels of naturally-occurring inorganic arsenic above the FDA guidance level, even though the rice flour used to produce these products tested below the FDA guidance level for inorganic arsenic," said Jason Jacobs, Vice President, Food Safety and Quality.
According to Beech-Nut, no illnesses related to the recalled product have yet been reported. No other production dates or Beech-Nut products are affected by the recall.
Anyone who purchased Beech-Nut Rice Cereal with product codes: 103470XXXX and 093470XXXX with expiration of 01MAY2022 should throw it out.
Those consumers can also go to www.beechnut.com/ricecereal, or call 1-866-272-9417, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for further information on obtaining an exchange or refund.
